Turki Alalshikh’s The Ring Magazine isn’t playing catch-up. It’s dictating terms. And the latest move? Poaching boxing’s top news-breaker, Mike Coppinger, straight from ESPN—without even blinking.
Ryan Glasspiegel from Front Office Sports revealed the shift, though you wouldn’t know it from anyone involved. Coppinger declined to comment. The Ring hasn’t said a word. His Excellency doesn’t need press releases when the move speaks for itself.
This is a return for Coppinger, who worked at The Ring from 2017–2019 before stints at The Athletic, USA Today, and most recently, ESPN—where he became the sport’s most connected, most unavoidable reporter. If a major fight was happening, Coppinger broke it, he’s the one everyone else copies five minutes later. Now? He’ll be doing that for The Ring. Under Turki’s command.
And let’s be clear—this is not the same Ring Magazine your granddad read. Alalshikh bought the century-old brand from Oscar De La Hoya last year for $10 million. A small price for complete narrative control. Since then, His Excellency has turned the once-traditional outlet into a global power hub—part media empire, part event machine.
He’s already signed Canelo Alvarez to a four-fight deal. He’s the only reason a Canelo vs. Crawford fight is even on the table. Rival promoters sat on that matchup for years. Alalshikh waved his hand—and here we are. Las Vegas. September.
Meanwhile, The Ring’s live event slate is ridiculous:
– April 26: Eubank Jr vs. Benn at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium — The Ring’s official launch into events
– May: A ridiculous Times Square card featuring Ryan Garcia vs. Rolando Romero, Devin Haney vs. Jose Ramirez, and Teofimo Lopez vs. Arnold Barboza
– September: Canelo vs. Crawford in Las Vegas under the Riyadh Season banner
– Ongoing: A new boxing league in partnership with Dana White and Nick Khan at TKO
This isn’t a media company reporting on boxing. It is boxing now. And Coppinger—who helped define boxing journalism over the past decade—just joined the only ship that’s actually sailing.
His Excellency didn’t just bring in a writer. He added the sport’s most important information source to his war room. Coppinger won’t just be typing articles. He’ll be at events, on camera, ringside, backstage, and—most importantly—inside the one orbit where every major fight now flows through: Turki’s.
And let’s not pretend this is some “friendly move.” ESPN just lost its only boxing voice with real reach. Everyone else in boxing media? Scrambling to stay relevant while The Ring rewrites the playbook.
No post. No statement. No staged rollout. Just dominance.
And once again, Turki Alalshikh didn’t ask. He acted.
